Grips has been one of Berlin's most celebrated theatres since it opened in 1969 — originally conceived as a theatre for children and teenagers, but long since recognised as serious political art. The productions deal with real topics: bullying, racism, family breakdown, social exclusion, told without condescension and often with dark humour.
Its most famous piece, Linie 1, follows a young woman arriving in West Berlin on the U-Bahn and has been translated into dozens of languages since its premiere in 1986. It still gets staged here regularly.
The theatre is small and intimate, near Hansaplatz. Tickets are affordable and performances regularly sell out — booking ahead is wise, especially for weekend evenings.